CAIRO – A prominent Saudi human rights activist says hundreds of people have demonstrated in two Shiite towns in the country’s east.

Ibrahim Almugaiteeb (al-MuGAYteeb) of the Human Rights First Society said Friday that mostly young men gathered in the town of Qatif and the nearby village of al-Awamiya (al-aWAMiya).

He says they demanded security forces release dozens of men detained during earlier demonstrations.

They also demanded the Saudi government withdraw their troops from Bahrain, where they are leading a 1,500-man Gulf military force, to shore up the Sunni monarchy against mostly Shiite demonstrators demanding reform.

The protests passed peacefully.

Saudi’s Shiites form some 10 percent of the kingdom’s 23 million people, and complain of discrimination.

“We cannot remain silent while our people and our sovereignty are under attack. We must let all those who choose the side of exploitation know that whenever there is oppression or aggression there will be resistance. We want to make it clear that all actions will have consequences and that we all have a role to play in defending the right to self determination for Africa.”

According to the group, African leaders have shown that they do not represent the people of Africa, and that playing puppet to imperialist masters would provide no security and no place of protection.

“The performance of most African leaders has been nothing less than shameful. Their lack of honesty, courage, political will and insight has revealed them to most of the people as mere caretakers of foreign interests,” maintained the group.

At a press conference in Accra last Tuesday, the Spokesperson for the Group, Mr. Duke Tagoe, said the military attack on Libya by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) represents a blatant attack on Africa’s sovereignty.

He was of the view that under no circumstances should NATO or any foreign powers have the right to impose their will on Africa through military force.

“NATO has not been given any authority by the peoples of the world to defend any so-called international interest. Their actions have been and are consistently to the detriment of the people of Africa, “he emphasized.

He said the solutions to Africa’s problems even when they are instigated by foreign interest must be solved internally by Africans. He thus called on the foreign forces to stop meddling in the Affairs of Africa.

Mr. Tagoe pointed out that it is only through the development and implementation of internal and sovereign systems of democracy that true peace and stability could be attained and protected.

“Although the imperialist would try to make us believe otherwise, the struggle is not about personality. We are not fooled by imperialist attempts to demonize this or that leader. The real struggle is about resources and who will control them,” he added.

“At this point in time we are calling for the mobilization of all African people and peoples’ organizations to denounce the foreign military attack on Africa. This expression of resistance will give resolve to those fighting to defend our sovereignty in Libya and in Cote d’Ivoire.”

USA: Back to the Streets This Weekend for Peace and Justice. Maureen Baillargeon Aumand, War Is a Crime: “The beloved peace and justice communities are rallying – again – this weekend! On April 9th in NYC and 10th in San Francisco, human rights, civil rights, and workers rights leaders and advocates – religious and secular – Jewish, Muslim, Christian, humanist – are linking arms in solidarity and common commitment with antiwar activists to take to the streets in the face of what Dr. King once called an ‘unfolding conundrum.’ A true tempest is rising from the triple threat which Dr. King outlined so eloquently decades past of materialism, racism and militarism. To be sure there is a tsunami fast approaching which is threatening by its erosion of foundational principles and their hard won incarnation over two centuries of struggle and evolution to tear the very moorings out from under all that has made the ‘American experiment’ such a bearer of hope and promise for the human planetary community as a whole”: here.

The Dutch Rightist government wanted to send back 14-year-old Afghan refugee girl Sahar Hbrahim Gel to dangerous Afghanistan. She would have to leave her school, the Piter Jelles Gymnasium in Leeuwarden (called after a famous Dutch socialist pioneer of about 100 years ago, Pieter Jelles Troelstra.)

(It would be even better if the Dutch government would not forcibly return Iraqi refugees to dangerous Iraq, like they are doing right now.

A few days ago, an Iranian refugee, who feared forcible return to Iran, killed himself by setting himself on fire in Amsterdam. Public indignation in the Netherlands against harsh anti-refugee policies because of that may have forced the government to take a step backwards in their anti-refugee zeal).

Britain: Black workers called today for a united front across Europe in light of a “rising tide” of racism: here.

Jubilant scenes play out across Egypt after revolution forces Mubarak to quit.

Tens of thousands of Egyptians rallied in Cairo’s central Tahrir Square today to demand that former president Hosni Mubarak and his family be put on trial over corruption allegations: here.

Mona El-Naggar and Michael Slackman, The New York Times News Service: “A blogger was jailed recently for ‘insulting the military.’ Human rights advocates say that thousands of people have been arrested and tried before military courts in the last two months. Protesters have been tortured and female activists subjected to so-called virginity tests. Fed up and angry with Egypt’s military rulers, tens of thousands of demonstrators turned out in Tahrir Square here for one of the largest demonstrations since the former president, Hosni Mubarak, stepped down on Feb. 11. The protest was being called the Friday of Warning”: here.

Egyptian military police fired in the air early Saturday to disperse several hundred protesters who camped out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square overnight after the biggest demonstration in more than a month: here.

Authorities closed the Egyptian Museum on Saturday after at least two demonstrators were killed when the military dispersed a peaceful sit-in in Tahrir Square. The demonstrators were demanding the prosecution of ousted president Hosni Mubarak and other figures from the toppled regime: here.

Keith Harrington, CommonDreams.org: “As the overlords of the current world order, fossil fuel companies do have a lot to fear from a powerful popular uprising. However, the Egyptian case also shows us that when such an uprising comes, it won’t be fundamentally about the climate. The revolution against the fossil-fuel barons won’t be a clean energy revolution. It will simply be a revolution. This is the first major lesson for environmental movement organizers: when people rise up they rise up because of unbearable socio-economic circumstances – oppressive, corrupt regimes, austerity measures, and aggressive assaults upon their economic and civil rights. They never have and very likely never will rise up en masse over bad environmental policies”: here.

Latest reports point to Indian industrial interests funding destructive development

April 2011. Despite the German government offering to fund a study into an alternative route for the Serengeti Highway, the Tanzanian Government seems to be pressing ahead with its plans, as well as fast tracking the development of the soda ash plant at Lake Natron, the only breeding site for Greater flamingo in East Africa.

In 2 East Africa suggests that the Serengeti Highway is being funded by industrial cash rather than the need to connect some people to Tanzania’s road system. They speculate that “This confirms a long harboured and long suggested suspicion that the construction of the equally controversial highway through the Serengeti is primarily motivated and driven by industrial and mining considerations, and not as conveniently floated ‘in the interest of the people’, unless the financial interest of and financial considerations for a ‘few people’ can meet that standard.” (Read the full article here)

Germany offers to fund alternative study

Germany’s Federal Minister for Development Dirk Niebel announced that Germany would be willing to finance a study on alternative ways of connecting areas bordering the Serengeti in the north to the existing road network without crossing the Serengeti. Tanzania’s President Kikwete called this connection of rural areas as one of the main reasons why the controversial highway is needed. In addition, Niebel reaffirmed willingness to jointly finance an international feasibility study for an alternative southern bypass for the national park. Since this alternative routing would not only be cheaper but also connect many more Tanzanians to a good road network.

Alternatives ignored in assessment

So far, Tanzania has not been responsive to the requests of the donor community as well as of environmental protection organizations to consider alternatives to the envisaged route in the north. “The draft of the environmental impact assessment, which is now available, is completely inadequate,” said Frankfurt Zoological Society Executive Director Christof Schenck. The authors come to the conclusion that the northern route would be the best, without having ever considered alternatives. In addition, the study had in no way thought through the environmental, economic as well as social consequences of that route.

Self contradictory

“The study also contradicts itself,” said Schenck, “one comes to the conclusion that the road would boost tourism and at the same time, which tourism would be the road’s big loser.” Tourism will, however, play an increasingly important role for Africa’s development and the value of pristine natural areas will increase more in the future.

Since Tanzania in May of 2010 announced wanting to build a road for freight and long-distance traffic through the Serengeti National Park, the Tanzanian government experienced a storm of protest against the project. It seems undeterred and convinced, however, that the road will have no negative impact on the national park and its wildlife.

Lake Natron

Tanzania’s President Kikwete has said that this plant must go ahead. The plant, to be built and run by the huge Indian industrial firm Tata, will extract 500,000 tonnes of soda ash every year. The works will include a series of pipes across the lake and considerable infrastructure on the shoreline, but the Tanzanian Government does not believe this will impact on flamingo breeding.

Fight for flamingos: Tanzania to mine in world’s most important flamingo breeding ground: here.

The Tata Group has denied any involvement in plans to mine soda ash at Engaruka area near Lake Natron. In March 2012, Mr. Cyril Chami who was then Tanzania’s Minister of Trade and Industry said that the government was talking to Tata Chemicals Ltd to set up a $450 million soda ash factory at Engaruka area, part of Lake Natron basin. The factory would exploit newly discovered 460 billion cubic litres of soda ash at Engaruka, and if the Tata deal went through, the Government of Tanzania would hold 46% shares through the National Development Corporation: here.

The BirdLife Partners in Africa have published a report on their experience of working with Local Conservation Groups (called Site Support Groups – SSGs in Africa). Launched at a colourful ceremony in Kinangop, Kenya, the report underlines the principle that biodiversity conservation must coincide with sustainable natural resource management for the benefit of the local people: here.

Tanzania steps up for the Serengeti and says ‘no’ to asphalt road: here.

Mining of soda ash at Lake Natron in Northern Tanzania is not economically viable, experts have warned. A new Cost Benefit Analysis report shows that projected return on investment over the next 50 years would be a loss of between $44,354,728 and $492,142,797, even if exempted from paying tax by the Government: here.

September 2012. Stakeholders have given a nod of approval to a new economic analysis study showing that soda ash mining at Lake Natron is not economically viable. Speaking this week at a meeting held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to disseminate the report, participants said tourism should be promoted at Lake Natron rather than soda ash mining. The Cost Benefit Analysis report shows that projected return on soda ash investment over the next 50 years would be a loss of between $44,354,728 and $ 492,142,797, even if exempted from paying tax by the Government: here.

The Lake Natron Update Bulletin for October 2013 is out. The latest issue highlights continued interest by the Government of Tanzania to build a soda ash plant at Lake Natron, the most important breeding site for Lesser Flamingos (Phoeniconaias minor). BirdLife International, Lake Natron Consultative Group, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and local communities at Lake Natron are opposed to these plans citing possible breeding disruption: here.

Fri, 29/11/2013 – 08:29. The proposed soda ash mining at Lake Natron has suffered another major blow as a new scientific study shows that such an activity would “almost certainly” wipe out the Lesser Flamingo population. The study also shows that ninety per cent of the Lake is important for flamingo survival. Lesser Flamingos also breed occasionally when conditions are right and this is difficult to predict and monitor: here.

Zabier Hernandez, the leader of the Colombian trade union, Sumana, addressed this year’s conference delegates, highlighting the plight of his compatriots and thanking ATL members for the continued support of the Justice for Colombia campaign.

Forty out of the 84 trade unionists assassinated during 2006 in Colombia were teachers and ATL’s support for Justice for Colombia continues to tackle a country that allows this reality to continue today.

In March 2007, ATL’s professional staff also joined trade union colleagues from across many other unions to protest outside the Colombian embassy in Knightsbridge, London.

Kay Carberry, Assistant General Secretary of the TUC, said: “It is unacceptable that so many of our brothers and sisters in Colombia were killed last year and we stand in solidarity with them against terrorism, repression and neo-liberalism. The Government of Colombia needs to stop treating trade unionists as ‘the enemy within’ and allowing their murderers to carry on with impunity.”

Rare visitor returns and sends birdwatchers all aflutter; but will it find a mate this time?

April 2011. A tiny, brightly coloured passerine has led to a surge in birdwatchers at WWT Welney Wetland Centre in Norfolk.

Each spring a handful of white-spotted bluethroat pass through the UK on their migration but have never been recorded breeding in the UK. The white-spotted race of bluethroat was first recorded at WWT Welney in 2010, when a single male was present for most of the summer. This spring, the staff is pleased to see that a single male has once again returned to the Welney reserve. The bird can normally be found in the area around Lyle hide, which last year provided the ideal spot to catch a glimpse of this beautiful bird.

Jon Smith, reserve warden, said: “It is a delight to have this species back at WWT Welney this year. The whole team were quietly optimistic that we might see a white-spotted bluethroat again this summer and I was pleased when I first found the bird singing on the reserve at the end of March.”

Smaller than a robin

“The bird is slightly smaller than a robin, but very distinctive as the brown plumage gives way to the bright blue throat with a white spot in the middle. This feature becomes more obvious once the bird is in full song”.

Normally breed in Spain and Central Europe

The white-spotted race of bluethroat normally breeds in Spain and Central Europe, so it is unheard of for one to hold a territory in the UK. There is another race, the red-spotted bluethroat, which also passes through the UK, and has bred in the UK before but very infrequently.

WWT reserve staff carefully maintain the water levels and reedy edges on parts of the reserve which create the preferred habitat for the bluethroat. During the day the bird will move in a skulking manner amongst low vegetation at the water’s edge to find the insects it feeds on.

“This is a brilliant time of the year to visit Welney as so much is happening. Visitors can watch avocet, lapwing, redshank and little ringed plover displaying and nesting on the reserve whilst hares are still boxing on Lady Fen and Bank Farm”, says Jon Smith. “Along with the bluethroat visitors are able to see and hear chiffchaff and sedge warbler amongst the reeds, which will shortly be joined by reed warbler.”

White-spotted bluethroat use vocal mimicry and incorporate a range of other bird song into their own; this is normally heard early in the morning. WWT staff hope that the lonely male bluethroat will sing so well that he attracts a female, although she will be hard to view due their illusive nature, it would be great to see the male’s efforts rewarded.

Other recent sightings

There have been several sightings of Hoopoe across Southern England, and several people spotted a Golden eagle over Cornwall. There has also been a Spoonbill in Sussex and a bee-eater in Cornwall.

April 2011. Much of the ‘rubbish’ you throw away could be perfect building material for birds’ nests in the next few weeks, says the RSPB. Knitting wool scraps, hair from brushes and combs and rug moultings are just some of the things that could be put on the garden rather than in the bin, the wildlife charity says. As well as traditional nest building materials such as twigs, leaves and moss, birds often line their new homes with the less obvious items to make it softer and fill in small gaps: here.

City dwelling birds have larger brains relative to their body size, according to scientists: here.